A PENRITH Panthers junior has pleaded guilty to a "coward punch" in Newcastle West that left a young man with fractures to his skull and jaw and bleeding on the brain.
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Immanuel Tagaloamatua, 20, of St Clair in Sydney's west, punched another 20-year-old man in the head after a number of "verbal exchanges" outside King Street McDonald's about 10pm on May 14 this year.
The victim fell to the road, suffering serious head injuries and Tagaloamatua and his friend ran from the scene.
Tagaloamatua was excused from appearing in Newcastle Local Court on Wednesday but pleaded guilty to a charge of reckless grievous bodily harm after the DPP agreed to withdraw the more serious charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The 20-year-old will be sentenced in January and the matter will remain in Newcastle Local Court, where Tagaloamatua faces a lesser maximum penalty.
Tagaloamatua - who played Jersey Flegg for the Penrith Panthers in 2021 - and the victim had both been at a nearby hotel on the night of the assault, but had left and were outside McDonald's when they crossed paths.
Tagaloamatua and his friend walked past the victim, who was sitting on the curb trying to organise a lift home, and headed towards Marketown about 9.55pm, CCTV footage shows.
A minute or so later the victim stood up and followed Tagaloamatua and his friend for about 30 seconds before the men were involved in a "verbal exchange", according to an agreed statement of facts. Tagaloamatua and his friend walked away but turned around and were on the corner of King Street and Steel Street when they became involved in another "verbal exchange" with the victim.
That exchange lasted about 10 seconds before the victim took a few steps away.
But when the victim approached again, Tagaloamatua stepped forward and punched him to the head, causing the victim to fall to the road and suffer serious head injuries.
Tagaloamatua and his friend ran away and security and witnesses came to the victim's aid.
It is not known what was said leading up to the assault.
The victim did not go to hospital on the night of the attack, but woke up the next day with severe headaches and was taken to the Mater Hospital, where it was revealed he had bleeding on the brain. He was later transferred to the neurosurgical ward at John Hunter Hospital and the maxillofacial ward before being discharged a week after the assault.
He was told he couldn't chew foods or drive and could not work or play football as a result of the injuries he sustained.